ABSTRACT

On May 29, 2009, the Emeryville, California-based computer animation production company Pixar Animation Studios (Pixar) released its tenth feature film, Up, which was billed to become a hit like all its earlier nine films. Experts felt that Pixar’s unprecedented success was due to the culture of innovation developed and nurtured at the company. They felt that its internal training and employee education program, Pixar University, was one of the devices that the company employed to take forward its innovation agenda. Making the shift from an idea-centered business to a people-centered business was another.

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Issues:

Fostering Creativity and Innovation

Training and Development

Internal education program

Introduction

On May 29, 2009, the Emeryville, California-based computer animation production company Pixar Animation Studios (Pixar) released its tenth feature film, Up, which opened to elated reviews and brisk ticket sales. All its previous films had been hits, earning money as well as critical acclaim..

Questions for Discussion:

1. Critically analyze Pixar University at Pixar. What, according to you, are the benefits derived from having such an internal education program?
2. How, according to you, does the Pixar University help foster creativity and innovation at Pixar?
3. Experts have said that Pixar's model was very different from that of the Hollywood model and this had led to its unprecedented success. In what way do you think Pixar University contributed to this success?

Keywords

education program,Fostering,Emeryville

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